Displaced Tamilians are cared for: Rajapaksa

He reiterated that his Government will never ever display to the world “his motherland or its people as sympathy evoking exhibits.”

Rejecting allegations made in certain quarters,including sections of the international community,about the ill treatment of IDPs,the President said it was the tigers who were perpetrating atrocities on displaced Tamil civilians.

“It was the ruthless LTTE which has caused heinous crimes and atrocities to these civilians,and not the Government,he said while addressing a gathering in Western Sri Lanka on Monday.

Rajapaksa,who handed over a 25,000 square feet,three-storeyed,new building complex,for an outpatient and a special clinical division to the Homagama Base Hospital in Western Province,said,the IDPs from the LTTE areas in Wanni were cared for “as our own kith and kin” by the Government.

Rajapaksa said he had made an open invitation to the Secretary General of the United Nations,to come and see for himself,”our utmost and profound commitment in providing all medical and other requirements”.

“We have at all times,treated those civilians fleeing from the grip of the terrorists to the safe zones,most humanely,” he added.

Reminiscing on events consequent to the tsunami catastrophe in 2004,he said that although certain international agencies had acted in a bona fide compassionate manner,some had visited the country only for “curiosity” notwithstanding the plight and sufferings of the victims.

“Their true contribution to the victims had been minimal in the process,” the President said.

Rajapaksa said his government has refurbished the most remote hospitals,inclusive of estate hospitals,and brought them to more sophisticated and fully-equipped levels.

Referring to the recent historic and landslide victories in the North-western as well as Central Provincial Council elections,the President pointed out that these decisions were very encouraging.

He said the outcomes displayed the full endorsement of the Governments policies and the tributes paid to “our gallant war heroes,who have sacrificed their lives for protecting their motherland”.